Tuesday, October 12, 2010

My Alma

So....I love my Orbea. However...I know it's time is limited. The biggest thing that it got dinged on in reviews was that there isn't much room between the chain stays and the tires (right where the stays meet the bottom bracket). I run a 2.0 tire in the back but luckily we don't have a lot of mud out here that can get caught up and eat away at the carbon in that area. What has happened though is that rocks sometimes get caught up in the tread and then they come around and hit that same area several times before getting kicked out. It's worn some of the clear coat away in that area and that's not a good thing for carbon. As much as I love it...I'm thinking of selling it while it's still in one piece. It does have a life time warranty but Orbea's not gonna cover that. So I've been looking around.

My goal all along was to get this damn Colorado race out of the way so I could do something else but.....NO!!!!!! I have to have some jacked up teeth!!!! Oh well. I truly do want to finish what I've started (regardless of how many years later it will be) before I move on to the big show. I really wanted to ride the Orbea to Durango for no other reason than it's what I set out to do it on. For the Tour Divide I kinda want something special for a frame. Anyways...I been looking around. My buddy Tim thinks I should be able to get 600 for my frame and I'd be fine with that. For TD I'd actually like a steel bike.

But I don't really want a steel bike for the Colorado Trail. So I've been kinda torn. The Surly Karate Monkey is way affordable but it's a TANK. I keep looking at something from Dave from Victoria Cycles but I just can't afford to go that route right now I looked at Spot Brand (the Rocker Geared). I can't believe those knuckleheads are asking 1400 for an off the shelf steel frame with a 1 year warranty. How they find dealers is beyond me. The Salsa El Mariachi is really nice and I'm looking at that a bit (LOVE the blue just having a hard time getting past the dropouts). I've looked at the Vassago Bandersnatch and want to look at it harder when Heather and I go back home so I'll go to see those guys at the Hub. I've looked at the Siren John Henry but I think that's one of the ugliest frames I've seen (sorry if you ride one). And lastly...I'm also looking at a frame from........Price Point. I know. It's really not a bad looking frame though. It's aluminum but it's so cheap. It's 199 and Giant is making it. I don't know. I'll probably hang on to the Orbea and decide later on. I'm so picky. I do like that Salsa though but I'd like to see one up close.

Too bad you weren't looking a few months ago. Ethan J. sold his like-new Bandersnatch in July.

You can ask Ethan what he thought of it. That guy goes thru bikes like underwear.

I am a big Salsa proponent. I currently own both the Mamasita and the Selma (same frame, just SS). They really took care of me after my Dos Niner broke. Great Customer Service. I really like their steel frames, too, but I'm sort of a weight weenie (but I ride a steel road bike since I don't race road).

Good luck and keep on writing.

Your loyal reader,

Craig

PS: you should come back to MO for the Berryman Trail Epic on 10/23. Going to be a hoot.

Marshal...I'd love to have a ti bike but the 1200 price tag is way too much for me right now.

Hey Craig! I'll have to ask EJ about the Vassago. I'd prefer the Salsa just because I could go SS with it and not have to deal with an EBB but I may just ask the Alma to do one more tour before retiring it. I'd love to do BE. One of these years I'll come back and do Burnin' again as a 12 hour solo too.